Superheroes: No school like the old school

I don't know how many people even remember the old Marvel Super Heroes roleplaying game anymore. It's old-school -- published by TSR in 1984 and updated with an advanced version in 1986 -- and also short-lived, as was already out of print by the time I found it in the early '90s. It had been...

Two great offerings from the Mixed GM

First, some awesome ideas on what Dwarves might do with all the other things they dig up. It can't all be jewels and precious metals, you know. What if they used some of their more... interesting... finds to prevent their enemies from digging too greedily and too deep? Read Dwarves and Dinosaurs for a look...

Maps in roleplaying games: Unexplored opportunities

Tabletop roleplaying is a game that revolves around maps. If you're not placing figurines on a map surface, you're navigating a mental map that has been provided to you by the gamemaster's description. There's a sizable cottage industry in map illustration in the Tabletop RPG hobby. But often, beyond providing the locations of things that...

World Anvil – A new worldbuilding tool

Are you a world builder? Writer? Tabletop roleplaying gamer? If so, you need to check out World Anvil. It's an online world-building tool designed to help you create your world and present it to the public. There are also features specifically for tabletop gaming, giving DMs and players a place to build campaigns and share...

20% off 3Deep roleplaying system

Calling all roleplaying geeks! Support an independent creator and get a discount on 3Deep, a nifty new tabletop RPG! The game's creator has very generously given me a discount code to distribute to my followers (all 3 and a half of you!). Use this link to get the 20% discount: http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?discount=963d7354ef 3Deep is a rules-light...

An intro to tabletop roleplaying games

Tabletop roleplaying is a very unique kind of gaming. If you've never played a tabletop RPG before (or seen others play one), the terms and concepts can seem disorienting. So, to get you started, here's a quick primer on tabletop roleplaying games—the most fulfilling and endlessly creative kind of game you'll ever play. Tabletop roleplaying games...

Friction checks: A way to add realism and excitement to your game

It's like the fog of war—but different. Where the fog of war usually refers generally to battlefield confusion, the concept of friction goes a step farther, quantifying the natural unpredictability of human reactions to threat, surprise, and stress. People who study human performance in combat have found that a predictable percentage of people—even trained soldiers—will fail...

Gaming tip: Making good use of “session zero”

Even if you've never heard of a "session zero," you've probably participated in one before. Basically, session zero is a gaming session (or part of one) in which everyone discusses the options and agrees on what kind of game play they'd like to have before the players finish making their characters and before the DM spins...

Try these games–recommended by the FAR System

The FAR System was inspired by the great features of several other tabletop roleplaying games. We highly recommend that you try them and buy them. And when FAR Western is ready, we hope you’ll buy our game too. If you enjoy any of these, you'll probably enjoy ours. In no particular order, here they are:...